The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has said it rescued and received 21,181 victims of human trafficking in 20 years.
The Director General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, said this when she appeared before the Senate Committee on Social Duties for the defence of the 2024 budget.
She said the agency would try to support victims as long as they needed to be supported, noting that the process required time and a lot of money.
She explained that NAPTIP provides legal, medical support, rehabilitation and reintegration support to victims.
Waziri-Azi stated that in 2022, “NAPTIP rescued and received 2, 748 victims, which was 1,274 more victims that were rescued in 2022.”
She added, “From January to November 2023, we have already rescued and received 2,200 victims.
“Our shelter in Lagos has so far received the highest number of victims, followed by Katsina because of the borders, Kano and FCT shelters.”
She said in 2021 and 2022, Benue State had the highest number of rescued victims, followed by Ondo, Edo, Delta Kano and Imo states.
She added, “As part of our prosecuting mandate, last year, we secured 80 convictions, which was the highest in any single year since inception.
